NEW DELHI: The govt is actively considering bringing in Overseas Citizens of India (OCI) card holders to play for the tricolour to shore up the country’s medal fortunes at the forthcoming edition of the Olympics, according to its 10-year strategic plan for the Games, TOI has learnt. Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!Under the plan, OCI or Person of Indian Origin (PIO) athletes would be approached through their respective national sports federations (NSFs) to come and play for India. The govt has encouraged the NSFs to pursue the idea and get in touch with such athletes in their respective sports.

The proposal was mooted at a recent Sports Governance Conclave in Ahmedabad, where ministry officials gave a detailed presentation on India’s sporting ambitions for coming years and how to transform the nation into a global sporting powerhouse such as China and USA. The idea was to bring such OCI or PIO athletes to play for India as an ‘interim measure’. “Talking about ‘Play for India’, in certain sports we don’t have enough talent. In such cases, we can approach and bring in our OCI athletes to play for the country. This may not be needed in every sport but, in some sports, it may be required as an interim measure. This is possible,” union sports secretary Hari Ranjan Rao told the NSFs’ presidents and secretaries who attended the conclave.

It’s been learnt the govt has targeted sports such as football, tennis, swimming and athletics for OCI athletes. Recently, Australian-born footballer Ryan Williams of Indian descent became eligible to play for India by giving up his Australian citizenship for an Indian passport. In 2008, an order from the ministry of youth affairs and sports (MYAS) issued in Dec directed all NSFs to permit only sportspersons with a valid Indian passport to represent the country at international events. As a result, only Indian passport holders were eligible to compete for India. This regulation was later challenged by UK-based OCI card holder squash player Karm Kumar, but the Delhi high court upheld the rule in 2010. “The idea has been deliberated upon (to reverse the policy to allow OCI or PIO athletes to represent India). There are certain sports where India isn’t a force to reckon with. The govt wants to strengthen such disciplines to boost the country’s sporting ecosystem,” a source added. In the past, Indian-origin athletes such as tennis player Prakash Amritraj (nationality United States), Shikha Uberoi (USA), Sunitha Rao (USA), squash player Karm Kumar (UK) and swimmer Ankur Poseria (USA), among others, represented India as OCI card holders before the policy change kicked in.

Gautam Gambhir and Shubman Gill (AFP Photo)

NEW DELHI: Washington Sundar’s decision to walk out to bat despite a visible injury during the first ODI against New Zealand in Vadodara has sparked debate around the Indian team management’s handling of injured players. Sundar was seen limping and struggling to walk but still came out to the middle when India needed support for KL Rahul in a tense chase of 301 runs.The spin-bowling all-rounder was risked despite his fitness concerns, and the move backfired as his injury worsened. Sundar remained unbeaten on 7 off 7 balls in the series opener, playing a supporting role as Rahul guided India to a four-wicket win. However, shortly after the match, Sundar was ruled out of the remainder of the series and was replaced by Ayush Badoni.

Sundar’s appearance at the crease raised several questions, particularly about the Gautam Gambhir-led team management’s approach to player welfare. Among those critical of the decision was former India cricketer Mohammad Kaif, who openly questioned the logic behind sending an injured player into the middle.Kaif pointed out what he described as a double standard, drawing parallels with Shubman Gill’s injury management during the South Africa Test series. He reminded the Indian team management that Gill was rested and not allowed to bat to prevent aggravation of his injury.“You will remember when Shubman Gill was injured, he did not come out to bat in that Test match, the Kolkata Test. It was a high-scoring game and people thought that even 20 or 30 runs from him could help India win, but he still did not bat. That was done to give full protection to the player so the injury would not aggravate. But the same approach was not applied with Sundar. That is why I feel it was a wrong call. KL Rahul’s running between the wickets was affected. Even though India won the match, I feel there were higher chances of aggravating the injury in yesterday’s game,” Kaif said on his YouTube channel.Kaif further explained why sending Sundar in such a situation carried unnecessary risk.“If he is injured and you need runs at a run-a-ball, you should first try someone else. When a player is injured and you send him in under pressure, the injury can worsen. He couldn’t run doubles even though the ball was going to deep point or square leg, and he was only managing singles. Although the required run rate was around a run-a-ball and the match was under control, I felt that sending an injured player was risky. What might have been a one-week or ten-day injury could stretch to 20, 25, or even 30 days,” he added.“I believe that was a wrong call. You could have sent Kuldeep, or anyone else, even Siraj or Prasidh Krishna, if you just needed to play out the run-a-ball situation. Only when it becomes absolutely unavoidable, right at the end, should you send Washington Sundar,” Kaif asserted.Sundar is part of India’s squad for the T20 World Cup 2026, which begins on February 7, making his fitness a key concern going forward.

Coinciding with the birth anniversary of Swami Vivekananda, Delhi Chief Minister Rekha Gupta on Monday distributed scholarships worth Rs 25.25 crore to 1,709 meritorious students from economically weaker sections under the Delhi Higher and Technical Education Assistance Scheme. Addressing the scholarship distribution programme at Thyagaraj Stadium, Gupta said providing financial assistance to students was the Delhi government’s investment in their future and a step towards strengthening the city’s youth. The event was attended by Education Minister Ashish Sood, senior officials of the Education Department, vice chancellors of various universities, educationists and a large number of students, according to a statement. The chief minister said that scholarship amounts for the academic years 2023-24 and 2024-25 had been transferred directly to the bank accounts of eligible students studying in universities across Delhi. She also informed that a pending scholarship amount of Rs 19 crore from the previous government’s tenure had been released by the present government, asserting that no funds earmarked for students’ education would remain pending in future. Marking National Youth Day, Gupta urged students to draw inspiration from the thoughts and philosophy of Swami Vivekananda and to pursue their goals with dedication and discipline. She said the progress of the nation depended on the advancement of its youth and highlighted the role of young people in achieving the goal of a developed India by 2047. The chief minister also said that national development was not possible through government policies alone and required the collective responsibility and active participation of citizens. Speaking on the occasion, Sood said the government was committed to improving the education sector and ensuring that students from disadvantaged backgrounds received adequate support. He said the government’s approach was guided by the principle of Antyodaya, aimed at ensuring that benefits reached those at the lowest rung of society. He said the Narela Education City project, which had remained stalled for several years, was now being implemented. He added that the project’s budget had been increased from Rs 500 crore to Rs 1,300 crore and would include shared university campuses, auditoriums, libraries, digital libraries and ICT laboratories spread across 160 acres. The Education Minister said the objective of the government was to address challenges in the education sector through policy measures and effective implementation, adding that education would play a key role in shaping leadership for the future. Meritorious students from economically weaker sections who have passed Class XII from Delhi schools with at least 75 per cent marks and meet the prescribed income criteria are eligible for financial assistance under the Delhi Higher and Technical Education Assistance Scheme, it said. The scholarship amount is transferred directly to beneficiaries’ bank accounts through the Direct Benefit Transfer (DBT) system, it added.

Representative image (AI)

Asian share markets rose on Tuesday, led by a strong rally in Japanese stocks as investors bet on technology and AI-led growth. At the same time, uncertainty over the independence of the US Federal Reserve lifted gold prices and pressured the dollar.Japan’s Nikkei index surged after reopening from a holiday, jumping 3.4% to record highs as a weaker yen and expectations of fiscal stimulus lifted sentiment. Gains in Japan helped push regional markets higher, with South Korean and Taiwanese stocks also touching all-time peaks, while Chinese blue-chip shares climbed to a four-year high.MSCI’s broadest index of Asia-Pacific shares outside Japan rose 0.8% to a fresh record. In Europe, EUROSTOXX 50 futures gained 0.2%, Germany’s DAX futures added 0.1%, while FTSE futures were flat, according to Reuters. Analysts said that enthusiasm around artificial intelligence continued to support global equities. “We see global equities continuing to climb in 2026, targeting around 10% upside for the MSCI AC World by year-end,” Citi analysts said, while cautioning that high valuations leave little room for disappointment if earnings fall short.US stock futures edged lower ahead of key inflation data, with S&P 500 futures down 0.2% and Nasdaq futures off 0.3%. Markets are awaiting the December US consumer price index, with forecasts pointing to core inflation rising to 2.7%, though some expect a higher reading of 2.8%. The US earnings season also begins this week, with major banks including JPMorgan Chase, Citigroup and Bank of America due to report.Bank executives are expected to face questions over President Donald Trump’s call for a one-year cap on credit card interest rates at 10% starting January 20. Banks have warned such a move could restrict access to credit for millions of households and small businesses.

Gold shines amid uncertainty

Investors were wondering how the US Justice Department’s criminal investigation into Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell could affect markets. Analysts fear the Fed may be pushed to keep interest rates too low for too long, increasing the risk of higher inflation later.The uncertainty weighed on the dollar, with the dollar index stuck near 98.88 after falling over 0.25% overnight. The euro edged up to $1.1665, while the dollar slipped against the Swiss franc.The dollar was steadier against the yen at 158.40, even as Japan’s currency hovered near multi-year lows. Japan’s finance minister Satsuki Katayama said she had raised concerns about the yen’s one-sided weakness with US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.Gold rose as investors felt uncertain, climbing above $4,600 an ounce for the first time before falling slightly. “Gold serves as a catch-all, and a default hedge of last resort for fear and uncertainty given its reputation as a safe haven and store of value, the fact that it is non-debaseable, and is no one else’s liability,” said Christopher Louney, a gold strategist at RBC Capital Markets. Louney added that the prices could rise as high as $5,200 by the end of the year.Oil prices also climbed, reaching seven-week highs on concerns that unrest in Iran could disrupt supplies. Brent crude rose 0.5% to $64.19 a barrel, while US crude gained 0.5% to $59.81. Adding to tensions, Trump warned that any country doing business with Iran would face a 25% tariff on its trade with the United States.

New Delhi: Former Indian Navy chief Admiral Arun Prakash (retired) on Monday reportedly submitted all the necessary documents linking him to the electoral roll from last special intensive revision (SIR), paving the way for early resolution of the matter relating to the system-driven notice issued to him after all the fields in his enumeration form (EF) pertaining to linkage with the last SIR roll, were left blank.“The documents were collected by the competent field officer on Monday and the matter will be settled, perhaps by Tuesday, making the retired Admiral and his wife eligible for inclusion in the final electoral roll of Cortalim assembly constituency (AC) in Goa,” an officer aware of the proceedings told TOI on Monday. Similarly, a hearing due on Jan 16 on the notice served to Nobel laureate Amartya Sen, an elector in Bolpur AC of West Bengal, after the age of his mother, with whom he was mapped in the EF filled and submitted by his relative, was reportedly found to be less than Sen’s, is expected to sort out the anomaly. A hearing will be held at Sen’s registered address at Shanti Niketan, and the relative will have the opportunity to correctly map Sen to the SIR from the last roll, said an officer. In a clarification issued in Admiral Prakash’s case on Monday, the Cortalim ERO explained that his EF was categorised as “unmapped” after it was observed that the said EF did not contain the mandatory particulars relating to the previous SIR, including the name of the elector, EPIC number, name of the relative, name and number of the AC, part number, and serial number in the electoral roll. “In the absence of these essential identification details, the BLO application was unable to establish an automatic linkage between the submitted EF and the existing electoral roll database,” the ERO said.Underlining that the BLO application is designed to automatically map EFs only when the prescribed identification particulars are duly filled in, the Cortalim ERO said the blank fields in Prakash’s EF triggered the system to categorise his EF as “unmapped”, mandating an auto-generated notice for further verification through a hearing mechanism.“As per the standard, system-driven procedure, a hearing notice was automatically generated and issued to enable verification of the elector’s details and ensure due opportunity for confirmation of eligibility,” shared the ERO. The officer said any elector can notice blank fields in the EF and cross-check with the BLO, before signing the form. Unlike SIR Phase 1, no eligibility documents are to be submitted with EF in Phase 2; however, the fields regarding linkage to last SIR must mandatorily be filled to avoid a notice after the draft roll is published.

VADODARA: In a major blow to India, especially ahead of the upcoming T20 World Cup at home, off-spinning all-rounder Washington Sundar has been ruled out of India’s remaining two matches of the ongoing home ODI series against New Zealand after suffering a strain during the opening ODI in Vadodara on Sunday.In fact, at the moment, it is doubtful if the reliable but injury-prone Sundar will even return to action for the five-match T20I series against the Kiwis, which will start on January 21 in Nagpur.

“Yes, Sundar has been ruled out of the remaining two ODIs against New Zealand (at Rajkot on Jan 24 and at Indore on Jan 28) due to the side strain he picked up during the first ODI at Vadodara on Sunday night,” a source in the BCCI told TOI on Monday. Sundar is the second India player to be ruled out of the New Zealand ODI series at home due to injury after wicketkeeper-batsman Rishabh Pant was hurt in the nets while taking throwdowns. Sundar’s injury will worry Team India a bit more since he is part of India’s 2026 T20 World Cup squad and the tournament is now less than a month away.At the post-match press conference, Harshit Rana, when asked about Sundar’s injury, said: “Washington has a side strain. He was in pain while batting. Our medical team will assess and will update.”Hampered by the injury, Sundar could bowl just five overs during New Zealand’s innings, in which he conceded 0 for 27. He later came out to bat at No. 8 after Rana was promoted ahead of him. The left-hander was visibly struggling to run between the wickets but chipped in with a valuable seven not out off seven balls, adding 27* in 16 balls with KL Rahul for the seventh wicket to take India home in a tense chase with four wickets to spare.While wicketkeeper-batter Dhruv Jurel was picked as Pant’s replacement, the BCCI is likely to name Sundar’s replacement soon too.

Australia women’s captain Alyssa Healy has announced her retirement from international cricket, confirming that the upcoming multi-format home series against India in February–March will be her swansong. One of the most influential figures in women’s cricket over the past decade, Alyssa will step away from the international stage after leading Australia in the ODI series and the one-off day-night Test in Perth. She has opted out of the T20Is, citing the team’s preparation plans for this year’s Women’s T20 World Cup.

Alyssa Healy’s decision driven by timing and team priorities

Explaining her decision, Alyssa revealed that while her love for representing Australia remains strong, the competitive edge that fuelled her long career has begun to fade. With Australia focusing on long-term planning and World Cup preparation, the wicketkeeper-batter felt it was the right moment to allow the next generation to step in, particularly in the shortest format.

The India series, however, holds special significance. Alyssa will captain the side in both the ODIs and the historic pink-ball Test, ensuring her career ends on home soil in one of the marquee series on the international calendar.

“It’s with mixed emotions that the upcoming India series will be my last for Australia. I still love playing for my country, but I feel the competitive edge that’s driven me for so long isn’t quite the same anymore. The timing feels right,” said Alyssa as quoted by Cricket.com.au.

From teenage debutant to global superstar

A niece of former Australia men’s wicketkeeper Ian Healy, Alyssa made her international debut in 2010 as a 19-year-old against New Zealand. Over the next 15 years, she redefined the role of a wicketkeeper-batter, combining explosive opening batting with elite glovework. She is set to finish her career with 162 T20I caps, 126 ODIs and 11 Tests for Australia, along with a world-record 126 dismissals in women’s T20Is.

Widely regarded as one of the most destructive batters the women’s game has seen, Alyssa holds several landmark records, including the highest individual score in a World Cup final and the most dismissals by a wicketkeeper in women’s T20 international cricket.

Also READ: Who is Anushka Sharma? Gujarat Giants rookie who lit up WPL 2026 with a stunning debut

Leadership era and major achievements

Alyssa took over as Australia’s full-time captain in 2023 following the retirement of Meg Lanning. Her tenure was highlighted by a historic 16-0 multi-format Ashes whitewash of England, a result that underlined Australia’s dominance. Under her leadership, Australia also reached the semi-finals of both the 2024 Women’s T20 World Cup and the 2025 Women’s ODI World Cup.

Across her career, Alyssa was part of eight ICC World Cup-winning campaigns—six T20 titles and two ODI crowns—and also played a key role in Australia’s gold medal triumph at the 2022 Commonwealth Games in Birmingham.

Awards and impact beyond international cricket

Individually, Alyssa’s excellence was recognised with the Belinda Clark Award in 2019 and ICC Women’s T20I Cricketer of the Year honours in 2018 and 2019. At domestic level, she became a modern icon for the Sydney Sixers, scoring over 3,000 runs across 11 Women’s Big Bash League seasons and winning two titles. She also featured in the Women’s Premier League, captaining the UP Warriorz, further extending her influence on the global growth of the women’s game.

Also WATCH: Shreyanka Patil gives double blow to UP Warriorz, dismisses Meg Lanning and Phoebe Litchfield in a single over during WPL 2026

This article was first published at WomenCricket.com, a Cricket Times company.

Indian Super League trophy (Pic credit: ISL)

New Delhi: All 14 first division clubs have confirmed their intention to play the much-delayed 2025-26 season of the Indian Super League (ISL) on Monday. Some clubs have been clear that they want to get the ball rolling while others have sought clarity on finances from the All India Football Federation (AIFF).On January 6, all clubs had verbally agreed to play the truncated league, although at least six had asked for conditional support to go ahead. The clubs wanted a complete waiver of Rs 1 crore participation fee and government support in reduced costs to host games.

“We are standing our ground saying, ‘Yes we will participate as we committed to the government. But we need more clarity from you, from the AIFF,” said a club official to TimesofIndia.com.Go Beyond The Boundary with our YouTube channel. SUBSCRIBE NOW!“Easier way to say it is that our participation is confirmed (in the ISL), if certain conditions are met,” added the official before clarifying that they need commitments to be made over the financial aspects of the league.As the deadline to confirm their home venues came on Monday, all clubs confirmed their participation to the AIFF, including Odisha FC who had sought further time to deliberate.Odisha FC had suspended first team operations in August 2025, and pulled out of Durand Cup and Super Cup. They had sought a long-term financial roadmap before committing to play.The objective for clubs will now be on cutting costs. With 91 games to be played in the season in a single-leg home and away format, ISL will begin on February 14 and would end before May 31.Of the Rs 24.26 crore budget allocated for the 2025-26 season, the clubs will foot Rs 1 crore each as participation fee, AIFF will contribute Rs 9.77 crore and the remaining expenses will be come from federation’s resources on an ongoing basis.As a result, the clubs will pay the participation fee, the logistics, for the venues, player wages among other things. The returns, in comparison to previous years, will be lower with broadcast revenue alone amounting to Rs 275 crore per season – something that won’t be as substantial this time.“Which is why we’ve all questioned the participation fee and said that ideally it should be lesser if not charged at all. But I think it’s also a new model that everyone’s trying to work out and experiment, right?,” reasoned an ISL club official.One significant outlay for ISL clubs over the years has been on salaries. One player agent confirmed that some clubs have reached out to players and asked them to take a pay cut now that the revenues will be lower.The agent explained that the clubs cannot force pay cuts on players since they are contract bound. If a club does look to force their way, a player can take the legal route. In case the players do accept the proposals of reduced wages, a new contract will be drawn.At this stage, not every ISL club is looking at reduced player wages as first option. With season shortened, logistical costs will be reduced and resources will be utilised differently to prepare home venues.“There were certain standards which were set by the ISL. There were certain norms that we used to follow, there were certain criteria’s which we used to follow, certain kind of basic parameters. It could be a difference of almost 20 to 30 percent in cost, resource management type, resource utilization (now),” said another ISL club official who wished to not be named.“So that would obviously … we’ll try to see where we can curtail without compromising on any kind of safety or any of those things. But yeah, maybe the glamour quotient will come down,” he added.Some clubs are okay to bite the bullet to get the league underway in the first place. Newly promoted Inter Kashi are one who have agreed to play all their games on the road since their home stadium in Varanasi would only be operational around Diwali.“I think the most important part is that in our country, since the last 6 months, football had come to a stop. Now, football is going to start. And there will be football. Let us focus on the football,” said Prithijit Das, President of Inter Kashi.“What is the production cost, who is the sponsor, what difference does it make? If you play a game, that game is starting, that is the biggest thing. At the end of the season, we can have a discussion on what was bad, what was good. But first, there should be a season. We were thinking there won’t be a season at all,” he added.His views were echoed by another club chief who were one of the firsts to confirm participation in the 2025-26 ISL.

“Our biggest (goal) was that football should happen. We were anyway not making profits and this was not going to make you profitable anyway. If there is a gap year, Indian football will go to the dogs! All the effort that you’ve put in so far, would have gone for a toss. “Today it is more about being alive than sustainability in time to come. Going by the circumstances, we were more for football and that’s what we were pushing for.”The immediate next steps for AIFF will be finalising a shortened calendar, getting an exemption from AFC related to ACL 2 slot and finding commercial and broadcast partners.

A Canadian influencer’s viral video highlights India’s unique identity, urging an end to comparing its places to foreign counterparts. He argues such labels diminish India’s originality, from Bengaluru’s ‘Silicon Valley’ tag to regional film industries. The sentiment resonates deeply, sparking conversations about self-pride and valuing India’s inherent brilliance.

India is one of those places on the Earth that is cherished for its unity in diversity, as a vibrant mosaic of cultures, places, and a relentless driving force towards development that goes even beyond comparing two regions. For too long, people have labeled its gems with foreign tags, like “Switzerland of India” or “Silicon Valley of India“, as if they need a global benchmark to shine.This habit often dims the spotlight on what makes India truly special as a one-of-a-kind, effortless combination of history, diversity, and dynamic growth.A Canadian who’s called India home for eight years recently talked about this unfair perspective towards standout Indian places. His words remind us that validation doesn’t come from copying something; instead, India’s real magic lies in embracing its own identity.

Canadian influencer living in India slams ‘videshi’ tags for Indian cities (Photo: (Instagram/@caleb_friesen)

Canadian criticises people comparing India with foreign places

Caleb Friesen, a Canadian influencer who’s lived in India since around 2017, took to X with a video calling out the “illogical” trend of comparing Indian spots to foreign ones. He criticised travel vloggers for calling and comparing places as “Switzerland of India,” the “Scotland of the East,” or “Mini Europe,” arguing these tags make India seem like copies rather than originals. Friesen went as far beyond nicknames like Bollywood and Tollywood, saying they chase Hollywood’s shadow unnecessarily. “Bro, you need to stop at the woods,” he remarked, pointing to South Korea’s independent naming as a better example.He based his post around Bengaluru’s “Silicon Valley of India” label, saying that the city sits on the Deccan Plateau, “the opposite of a valley.” Friesen contrasted this with China’s Shenzhen, which stands on its own name. “I just think more people need to have this mindset. India is not the X of Y. India just is,” he urged, adding, “This country is spectacular. It is one of a kind.”

Why this video went widely shared on social media

Friesen’s message hit home because it talks about the push for self-pride. He referenced Zomato CEO Deepinder Goyal’s reply to a fan wanting a “Bryan Johnson replica in India,” where Goyal stressed upon originality. This isn’t just about tourism; it’s a call to value India’s tech boom, varied regions, and cultural depth without foreign crutches.

Social media gets emotional

Users flooded Friesen’s post with support. One wrote, “Good one, India shouldn’t benchmark everything against one. India is great on its own with a massive population”. Another said, “A pity that this has to come from a Canadian, but that isn’t bad, because sadly some Indians pick up an idea only when non-Indians approve it.”A third wrote, “Finally someone said it. We need to own our identities and not cling to western validation.” A fan added, “Well put @caleb_friesen. India needs to UP their PR game. India is so so much better than what the sentiment is like in the outside. So much potential and talent everywhere.”One user noted a flip side, “India have many beautiful places. But because of bad infrastructure and lack of promotion of these places, we never get to see about such places that exist in India.” Others blamed colonial mindsets, “Indian was first colonised for 200 years by Brits and then a 100 more colonised us mentally.”